Gluten free almond cake from Canelle et Vanille

I’m one of those people who wants to eat cake in the toasting heat of summer. So here is a staple recipe that will never disappoint.

We served this cake for our workshop in May, and the combination of simple vanilla frosting and the almond lemon flavour of the sponge is perfect!

My daughter recently became gluten intolerant and I tell you, I tried so many recipes! This one is also lactose-free and it’s based on Aran Goyoaga’s gluten-free pound cake from her last cookbook. Best. Cake. Ever.

So here’s my version, not so distant from the original and now a classic in my home.

Ingredients

1 cup of sugar
1 cup of almond flour
1 cup self-raising gluten-free flour
1/2 cup Unsweetened full-fat coconut yoghurt (Greek-style soy yoghurt is also ideal)
1/2 cup Extra virgin olive oil
3 beaten eggs plus a yolk
A generous pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean scraped
The juice and grated zest of one lemon.

Frosting cream

250gr Vegan Block butter (not spread) or regular high-quality dairy butter
550gr icing sugar
1 scraped vanilla bean
4 tbsp of milk of choice

Additions

Edible flowers: Marigold flowers and pea shoots

Method

Before we start, note that vegan icing can come out a bit runny, so it’s better to make it the night before and refrigerate it overnight. Just whip it again when needed, and you are good to go.

Add the vegan block in cubes to a stand mixer and start whipping, adding the sugar bit by bit, the vanilla and the milk until you have a smooth pale, fluffy cream. Leave it to rest in the fridge until it’s solid enough to be used.

Preheat the oven to 180°. Butter and flour 2 cake tins of 6″/12 cm. I use spring tins and prefer to line the bottom with parchment paper to ensure the cakes come out without accidents.

In her book, Aran suggests rubbing the sugar and the lemon zest together to release the lemon skin oils and scent, and I’m obsessed with this genius tip!

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl until you get a homogeneous dough; pour half the batter into each tin and bake for 45-50 minutes.

Once cooked, let it cool down completely out of their tins.
Sometimes I serve this cake accompanied by cooked strawberries.

Assembly and decor

Beat the frosting until fluffy again.

Check which cake has the most neat bottom; you will use it upside down as the top of the cake.

Place the bottom cake on a serving plate, cut a small well in the centre and fill it with jam; spread more jam over the cake and pipe a layer of cream on top. Place the second cake upside down, and with a spatula, start covering the cakes with a thin layer of frosting. Refrigerate for 15 min, then proceed to finish covering the cake, scraping any excess. Decor with flowers and leaves.

The cake will keep for 2-3 days. I usually freeze the leftover slices alternated with squares of parchment paper.

Note

If the vegan frosting comes out looking soupy, don’t panic. Beat in 100gr icing sugar and leave it to rest covered in the fridge overnight.

Said that not all vegan alternatives to butter work well; I stick with Vegan Block butter and always had the best results. Vegan spreads are not for baking and will always fail the job so avoid them.

Hope you’ll try this recipe soon!

Enjoy!

Silvia xx